by Grant, Donna
Roderick moved to the door. “I’ll have the guards doubled and tell them to keep their eyes on the skies.”
“They’ll need to rotate shifts since we’ll need the battlements fully guarded at night as well,” Val said as he stood and followed Roderick from the tower.
Hugh sighed and leaned back against the stone wall. “We’ve battled these creatures. We know their weaknesses.”
“Aye,” Gabriel said, sensing his leader’s worry. “The Gargoyle can only attack at night, so during the day we find it and kill it as before.”
Cole nodded. “If they’re smart, which they’ve shown in the past, one will attack at night while the other attacks during the day.”
“Which would leave us being attacked constantly,” Hugh murmured.
Gabriel lowered himself on one of the chairs. “It’s a good strategy for them. It’ll leave us locked in the castle for fear of leaving.”
“And we can’t chance leaving with the Chosen,” Cole said. “Our women are the key to the demise of the Great Evil. He’ll be coming for them.”
Hugh nodded slowly. “I thought I’d finally found my future when I found Mina, but now that’s threatened.” His gaze moved to Cole then to Gabriel. “I cannot lose Mina.”
“You won’t,” Gabriel promised as he rose. “Go to her. I’ll make sure everything is prepared for an attack tonight.”
Hugh walked past him and out of the tower. Gabriel watched his leader for several moments before Cole moved beside him.
“I know how Hugh feels. Shannon is my life. Without her I’m nothing.”
Gabriel looked to his friend and saw the concern in Cole’s brown eyes. “We’re all together now. We’ll get through this as we have everything else before.”
Cole tried to smile but failed before he moved past him and down the stairs. For long moments Gabriel stayed in the tower by himself. Before, the Shields had been invincible because they had cared for no one but themselves. Gabriel couldn’t help but wonder just how different things would be now that his brothers were more concerned with the lives of their wives than the deaths of the creatures.
He turned and walked to the window, which was nothing more than an arrow slit in the stones. His eyes scanned the frozen ground of Stone Crest, hoping against hope that he would see something or find some way to save the men that were his family.
Yet, there was nothing.
Just as with his memory – blank.
Chapter Six
Mina twiddled her thumbs as she sat before the great hearth and contemplated her new guest. She still wasn’t sure what had happened in the chamber with Jayna, but Mina was sure of one thing: she had felt the despair, loneliness, and revenge.
A shadow moved near her, then leaned over her to kiss her cheek. She turned her head and smiled up at her husband. That’s when she saw the despondency in his beautiful brown eyes. “Hugh?”
He sighed as he took his chair beside her. “We know what we’re fighting.”
“That’s good, though.”
“Maybe.” He dropped his head back and reached for her hand. His warm fingers closed over hers and Mina felt a chill go through her.
“Hugh, please.”
“The Gargoyle is back, and so is the Harpy.”
She sucked in a breath and gaped at him. “Nay.”
He slowly nodded as he closed his eyes. “Aye, my love. Val and I saw the Harpy while Cole and Gabriel saw the Gargoyle.”
“Do the others know?” She knew she must tell the other Chosen soon so everyone could prepare.
Hugh nodded. “I’m sure my men are telling them.”
Though he had said nothing, Mina knew her husband worried for their people. They had lost so many when the Harpy and Gargoyle last had attacked them.
She squeezed his hand. “We’ve prepared our people. Everything will be fine.”
He opened his eyes and turned his head toward her. A small smile played on his lips. “You sound so sure.”
“You aren’t the leader of the Shields for nothing, my lord,” she said with a smile. “You’ve kept your men alive all these years, and together we’ll save our people.”
He lifted her hand and kissed it as he rubbed his thumb over her skin. “Enough of this for now. Tell me what you needed me for earlier.”
Mina took a deep breath. “We’ve a guest.”
“A guest?” Hugh repeated and sat forward. “Who?”
“A woman. She says she’s a traveler.”
“But,” he prompted.
Mina shrugged and rose to pace before the hearth. “When I walked her to her chamber, I caught a glimpse of something.” She wrung her hands as she searched for the right word. “It was as if I felt her emotions so clearly.”
“And what were they?”
“Despair. Seclusion. Revenge.” She turned to face her husband and watched as he rose and came towards her.
“Do you think she’s here to hurt someone?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. She seems nice, and the others really enjoyed her company. She just...seems so lonely.”
“What was her story? Why is she traveling alone?”
“She told us that her parents died when she was young and was raised by a uncle that beat her. She ran away as soon as she could and has been on her own ever since.”
“And you believe her?”
Mina chuckled. “Shannon and Elle did because they come from a time where that is possible. However, Nicole and I knew better. The possibility of a young woman such as Jayna surviving on her own on these years without something happening to her are near impossible.”
“Exactly. So, what is she hiding?” Hugh asked as he pulled her into his arms.
“She also claims she’s a peasant, but all you have to do is look at her and hear her speak to know she’s nobility.”
“Very peculiar, don’t you think?”
Mina rested her head on Hugh’s muscular chest. “Is it coincidence that she arrives here now when the Shields are getting ready to fight the creatures and the Chosen are trying to figure out how to destroy the evil?” She leaned her head back and looked into Hugh’s eyes. “I’ve always trusted your instincts. Will you talk with her yourself?”
“If it’ll put your mind at ease, aye. Besides, we cannot take any chances.”
Mina hugged him then rose up on her tip toes to kiss him. “She’s in the east wing.”
* * * *
Hugh stepped from the stairs and turned down the hallway that would lead to Jayna’s chamber. He was curious to see this woman, not because he wondered what she looked like, but because Mina had literally felt her emotions. He had never heard such a thing, but he wasn’t surprised by it.
He lifted his hand and knocked on the door. “It’s Lord Hugh. I’d have a word with you, please.”
A soft shuffle from within and then the door opened, and Hugh found himself staring at a slender woman with a wrinkled, out-of-fashion gown. Her blonde hair was pulled away from her face in a long plait down her back and her hazel eyes stared into his, patiently waiting.
“You’re Jayna?”
She gave a stiff nod. “I am, my lord.” She stepped aside and allowed him to enter.
Hugh cast a glance around the chamber and only found a black cloak that had seen too many days hanging on one of the pegs. No other items of clothing could be seen.
He stopped before the hearth and clasped his hands behind his back as he regarded her. “My wife tells me that you’re a traveler.”
She nodded. “I find it suits me.”
“How is it that you have survived as long as you have?”
“I’m quick-witted, which has gotten me out of several situations that could’ve proven ill-fated,” she replied in a tone one would use if they were talking down to a servant.
Mina was right, Hugh thought. Jayna is no commoner. “Mina says you ran away from your uncle. He could be looking for you.”
Jayna laughed softly. “He was always too drunk to even know I
was around, my lord. I was probably gone for months before he realized I wasn’t there.”
“Any other family?”
“Nay.”
Hugh scratched his chin as he contemplated the situation. “Tell me, Jayna, what brought you to Stone Crest?”
She shrugged. “My feet, I suppose, my lord. I was on the road this morning when I encountered an elderly man with a horse that was more dead than alive. He was headed here and I offered my aid to him.”
It was a good story, and one Hugh could check for himself since he knew she spoke of Jobbins and his mare Ol’ Ruth.
“May I ask you a question, my lord?” Jayna asked.
“Of course.”
“Are you at war with someone?”
A frisson of fear snaked down Hugh’s spine. “Why do you ask?”
“The guards have doubled since I’ve been here, and it is highly unlikely that they are for me.”
Hugh smiled despite himself. Jayna had spunk. Whatever she had endured in her years traveling, if she did indeed travel, it had only made her stronger.
“We are at war. In fact, it might be prudent for you to leave soon, though with the storm about to blow in, you might be here for a few days.”
“I’ve no wish to be caught in a war between two lords,” she said as she stood as still as stone. “Though Lady Mina worries I might freeze to death, I’ve been in worse and will survive. If it is all right with you, I’ll be on my way.”
Hugh clenched his jaw as he debated on whether to let her leave or not. “I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to leave in such vile weather.”
If they were lucky, the storm would hold off the creatures long enough for Jayna to leave before he had one more innocent to think about.
“Please, Jayna. Mina will never forgive me if you leave now.”
“If you’re sure,” she said hesitantly.
Hugh nodded, all the while wondering if he’d made the greatest mistake of his life. He walked out of the chamber and into the hallway, but still he couldn’t get his instincts to tell him if he had done wrong or right.
He found Mina still before the hearth in the great hall, her expression one of contemplation. She hurried to him as soon as she saw him.
“Well?”
He shrugged. “I couldn’t tell one way or another, my love. There’s a storm brewing to the west, a nasty one at that. I couldn’t let her leave and be out in it.”
“And if she’s part of the evil?”
“I’ll have Gabriel keep watch over her. If she’s an innocent, well...we’ll have to make sure we get her out in time.”
* * * *
Jayna smiled as Hugh left her chamber. She had expected him to ask more questions, but the longer he stayed the more she realized he was the type of man where actions spoke louder than words. She would have to be careful because she knew he would be watching her.
She yawned and decided it was a good time to test the bathing chambers Mina had spoken of. Jayna walked out of her room and turned toward the stairs. Just before she reached the stairs she encountered one of the servants.
“Can you take me to the bathing chamber?” she asked.
The girl, several years younger than her, smiled and bobbed her dark head. “This way, milady.”
Jayna knew she should correct her, but it felt good to be noticed for what she really was – a lady. She followed the young girl down several flights of stairs and down hallways until she found herself standing outside a large open chamber.
“There are cloths to wash with as well as to dry off,” the girl explained. “No one is inside, milady, and the water is hot.”
Jayna nodded her thanks as she pushed open the material and stepped through them. Her eyes grew round as she looked at the sheer size of the wooden tub. Two, possibly three, grown men could easily fit inside it.
The water beckoned her, and God help her, Jayna couldn’t wait to climb inside. She couldn’t remember the last time she had taken a hot bath. Usually she only had enough water to wash her face, though there had been times she had bathed in any streams or ponds she had come across.
Once her old gown and underclothes were off, she dipped her toe into the water. A sigh escaped her as chills raced across her skin and the steam from the water molded her hair to her face.
She slipped into the water, surprised to find how deep the tub was. She leaned back against the sides as the heat flowed over her, enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth and relaxation.
How long she sat in the water she had no idea. She must have dozed because when she opened her eyes she felt disoriented for a moment. The water had begun to chill so she hurriedly washed her hair and body, then hopped out of the tub to dry off and put back on her clothes.
It was one of the many times she wished she had another gown, but it was easier to move around without lugging a bag around with clothes. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.
She leaned forward and flipped her hair over to wring out the water as best she could. Then, she wrapped the cloth around her as she reached for her gown. Except it wasn’t there.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Mina said as she walked into the chamber. “I had your gown taken to be washed. Elle is more your size, so she loaned you one of her gowns until yours is clean.”
Jayna swallowed. “Thank you. That is too kind.”
Mina waved away her words. “Nonsense. Let me know if you need anything else.”
She could only stare at the gown in her hand. It was exquisite. Not quite blue, but not quite green. It wasn’t just the gown that Mina had given her, but undergarments as well.
With her hair still hanging wet and tangled about her, Jayna hurried to put on the clean clothes. She smoothed her hand over the soft material of the gown. The wide, trailing sleeves, and deep hem held a floral pattern that matched the color of the gown. And once she wrapped the braided belt twice around her waist, then let its length land nearly to her feet, she felt like a queen.
How long had it been since she had dressed as a lady? How long had it been since she had acted like a person of her station should? The years had passed by in a blur because she had been focused on one thing...Gabriel.
Just for a moment, one instant in time, she wanted to forget the past and the revenge that ruled her world. She wanted to forget the Great Evil. She just wanted to be Lady Jayna, a woman who searched for her future.
She sighed and slowly walked from the chamber. It was her own chamber that she sought, for there she could sit before the fire and comb out her hair as she tried to forget the past.
Chapter Seven
Gabriel barely had time to wash up and change before supper. The food was more than delicious at Stone Crest, but sitting at the long table with the men he called brothers and their wives was becoming harder and harder. It just drove home how alone he was in the world.
As he hurriedly descended the steps he recalled that Hugh had asked to speak to him before the evening meal. Time had gotten away from Gabriel as he checked the armory. Whatever it was, he knew Hugh would speak to him later.
It wasn’t until he started toward the dais that he noticed a woman in the chair beside his. For an instant, he was sure he recognized the woman. He slowed his steps and studied her face. It was the face of an angel, one so beautiful and graceful that it couldn’t possibly be real.
Her golden blonde hair was parted down the middle and hung over her breasts in two thick plaits. As he made his way toward the dais, he saw the welcoming smile she bestowed upon anyone that passed near her. Her lips were full and her mouth wide, erotic lips that he suddenly yearned to feel on his skin.
Gabriel stopped and tried to swallow. He couldn’t get closer to her yet, not when he hadn’t had his fill of looking at her. He needed to see more of her creamy skin, unmarked by a blemish. He needed to see her gently arching brows lift gracefully at something Val said. He needed to see her striking hazel eyes crinkle at the corners as she laughed.
He knew her.
“Gabriel?”
He jerked and turned his head to find Hugh at his elbow.
“Is everything all right?”
Gabriel nodded, unable to find his voice, and angry at Hugh for breaking into his examination of the woman.
“She is quite beautiful isn’t she?” Hugh asked softly.
Gabriel made himself turn his back to the dais as he looked to Hugh. “Who is she?”
“First, tell me why you were staring at her as if you know her?”
“Because I think I do.”
“What?” Hugh asked, bewilderment widening his eyes. “How?”
Gabriel sighed and ran a hand down his face. “I don’t know. It’s just when I first saw her...I felt as if I knew her.”
“Could she have been someone you bedded?”
Gabriel flattened his lips as he shook his head. “I may bed my fair share of women, but I do remember their faces. She’s not one of them.”
“You haven’t been at Stone Crest long enough to have forgotten her, and if I take her at her word, she just arrived her today.”
“Maybe she simply looks like someone from my past,” Gabriel finally admitted.
Hugh clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Has any more come to you?”
He shook his head, unwilling and unable to speak more of a past he feared more than death itself. “Mina waits for you. Come, we must eat.”
“Her name is Jayna,” Hugh said before he could walk away. “Mina welcomed her, but with everything going on, wanted to make sure that Jayna wasn’t part of the evil.”
“I’m sure you spoke with her. What did you discern?”
“Nothing.” Hugh sighed. “She claims to be a commoner, but I don’t think she is.”
Gabriel glanced over his shoulder at her. “Just look at the way she sits and you can tell she isn’t. Nay, she’s no more common than I am royalty.”
“She also claims to be a traveler. She ran away from a drunk, abusive uncle some years ago and been on her own ever since.”
“What do you think of that?”
“I think she’s partly telling the truth, but I think there’s more to it.”
